UAW-Ford Explorer Rally
We left Monday morning on our 10 hour trip to Washington DC. Once we crossed the border into Ohio we started seeing Ford Explorers with signs plastered and painted on them that expressed the workers belief in the safety of our #1 selling SUV. While driving down the turnpike we were impressed as we passed rest area after rest area full of Explorers. Many Explorers passed us, everyone honking and waving. When signing up to go on this trip, we didn't think about the number of people that would be involved in this rally. It was really something to see all the Explorers heading to the same destination for the same purpose.
On Tuesday morning we drove into the JKF Memorial stadium parking lot as they handed us an American flag to fly from our window. It was packed from one end to the other with Explorers. We were each given a bag with a tee-shirt, hat and information packet in it. They wanted 800 out of the 5000 Explorers there, to drive in a caravan around the Capital Building. Local 892 would have 10 cars in that caravan. We lined up and as we drove through the streets of Washington DC, we realized that we closed down the Capital city. Expressways and main roads were closed to allow us to all drive in line, honking and flashing our emergency flashers. People were hanging out their windows and sunroofs yelling support for the Explorer to the News cameras.
After the caravan, we met up with the rest of the people who were bussed over to the Capital building. There we listened to speakers and waved signs supporting the UAW Quality and Safety of the vehicles we build. At some point during all of this, Jack Nassar was testifying in front of the National Health and Safety Board. He was there to convince them that the Explorer is not the problem, but Firestone is the one at fault. A sign on one of the Explorers said it all..."Firestone, you are the weakest link!"